Pneumatic conveyer for cigarette machines



Dec. 13, 1938. R. v. CZRAGGS PNEUMATIC CONVEYER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1956 M; RN W INVENTOR few 1/:

ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1 938. R. v. cRAGGS PNEUMATIC CONVEYER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed' Feb. 25, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 F |G.4 Q2

INVENTOR I BY 5 NEY I A'ITOR Dec. 13, 1938. R. v. CRAGGS PNEUMATIC CONVEYER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 9

ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1938. R. v. CRAGGS PNEUMATIC CONVEYER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 25, 1936 FIG. I l

FIG. I I

H94 00 2 W F 7 I 0 n n 2 U 2 1 0 Z M a I I a Z z 0 a g a INVENTOR Dec. 13, 1938. R. v. CRAGGS 2,140,128

PNEUMATIC CONVEYE'R FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. I 2 5 zzas M INVENTOR flm/ V. 6', 4 BYW;

ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1938. R. v. "cRAGGs 2,140,128

PNEUMATIC CONVEYER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR i BY 2 s. $7.

A'ITORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1938 PNEUMATIC CONVEYEK MACHINES FOR CIGARE Ross V. Crag-gs, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 25, 1936, Serial No. 65,676

7' Claims.

This invention relates to pneumatic conveyers, more particularly to tobacco conveyers for cigarette making machines in which the tobacco supply used during operation is fed from a storage chamber.

The main object of this invention is to convey disintegrated tobacco from its place of storage to the feed hoppers of a battery of cigarette making machines. Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for pneumatically conveying tobacco charges of desired volume at the required intervals, thereby keeping the supply of tobacco in the feed hoppers of the machines at approximately the same level at all times. To this end the individual machines are equipped with signals for apprising the attendant periodically that more tobacco is needed.

These objects may be achieved in the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration herein, by connecting the tobacco feed hoppers of the desired number of cigarette making machines by means of a single pipe line, the end of which is led to a continuously running suction fan, the discharge pipe of the latter being returned to the storage room. Above each feed chamber the pipe line is provided with an outlet to which is connected an automatically operated'valve attached to a collecting chamber which may overlie the feed chamber of the cigarette making machine. Between the end of said pipe line and the suction fan is furthermore connected a dust collector and separator. The feed hopper of each cigarette making machine is equipped-with a signalling device, the signal lamp of, which is located on a control board attached to the feed table in the storage room. The tobacco is fed into an intake at the feed table in small charges and is then conveyed by means of suction through the feed line, the automatically operated outlet valve above each individual machine directing one charge at a time to its corresponding feed chamber.

In the hand feeding method commonly used heretofore, the shredded tobacco is conveyed from a storage room to each individual cigarette making machine by means of trucks 'or containers and the operator then takes the tobacco from the latter and refills the feed hoppers of said machines as often as circumstances require. This method of replenishing the tobacco feed hoppers during operation of course has a great many disadvantages, all of which may be entirely overcome by employment of the improved pneumatic conveyer system herein described. An important advantage of the latter is that the tobacco arrives at the feed hoppers of the cigarette making method. The elimination of additional handling,

of the tobacco not only results in a saving of labor but also efiects a substantial saving of tobacco which usually is lost during such additional handling. The latter also causes an undesirable breakage of the tobacco shreds resulting finally in additional dust in the factory and also the creation of dust and shorts of tobacco in the cigarettes. With the improved pneumatic system no waste of tobacco can possibly occur and the same humidified conditioned air surrounds the tobacco during the entire conveying process, which at the same time removes all dust and cleans the tobacco before reaching the feed hoppers. Due to the electrical signal system attached to the latter, the attendant =is notified when a certain amount of tobacco has been used up. A charge equal to this amount is then sent to the machine giving the signal, thus keeping the tobacco level in each individual feed chamber at approximately the same height with the result of producing uniform cigarettes at all times. In hand feeding, moreover, the feeding periods and the amounts of tobacco placed into the feed chambers are necessarily quite unequal and therefore thetobacco level issubject to great variations resulting in non-uniform products. The'pneumatic feeding of small charges of tobacco assures a fiufilness and looseness of the tobacco when reaching the feed chambers, contrasted with a compact and a more or less compressed condition when hand feeding is employed. The improved pneumatic feed system also assures a great saving of floor space and equipment and the machine operator can devote his entire attention to the proper operation of one or more cigarette machines; With these and vother objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described and acters of reference indicate the same or like Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the tobacco intake valve and feed table;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tobacco intake valve and operating mechanism, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of the tobacco intake valve showing its connection with the time relay control switch, taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation of the intake valve;

Fig. 6 is a modification showing a side elevation, partly in section, of the tobacco intake valve in connection with an automatic operating mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a discharge chamber carrying the automatically controlled-outlet or feed valve;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same, taken on line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the automatic pilot valve used for operating the feed valve;

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of the pilot valve, taken on line |0--|0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional front elevation of the same, taken on line of Fig. 10;

Fig. 11a is a detail side view of the rotary switch;

Fib. 11b is a sectional view of the same taken on line I|b||b of Fig. 11a;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the outlet or feed valve;

Fig. 13 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken on line |3-|3 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system used in connection with the improved pneumatic tobacco conveyer.

Generally stated, in carrying the invention into effect the individual cigarette machines are equipped with signals forapprising the attendant more tobacco is needed, and mechanism is provided for supplying tobacco to the desired machine. In the best constructions contemplated, the signals each include a rotary switch driven from the respective machines and connected to an incandescent lamp at a point remote from the machines and the conveying mechanism may comprise a pneumatic conveyer operating to deliver the tobacco to collecting chambers overlying the individual machines whence they are dumped into the latter. The apparatus may be widely varied in construction for the specific construction selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the invention. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the particular embodiments selected to illustrate the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the improved pneumatic tobacco conveyer consists of a feed table which, by means of an intake G, is connected with amain conduit or pipe line 2| in which suction is created by a suction fan F located adjacent the outlet end thereof. Above each tobacco feed hopper RI, R2 and R3 of any suitable number of cigarette making machines MI, M2 and M3 respectively, is suspended a chute HI, H2 and H3 respectively. Each chute is connected to the main conduit 2| through a feed or discharge valve VI, V2 and V3 respectively. Each of said valves is automatically operated by control mechanism, hereinafter described, comprising a pilot valve actuated by compressed air the last discharge valve V3 on the conduit 2| and the suction fan F there may be connected a dust collector and separator E of well known construction. In some factories it may be desirable to place the tobacco feed table 20 in an air-conditioned tobacco storage room within a wall W (Fig. 1). If desired, the conditioned air taken from the storage room may be returned thereto by connecting the exhaust pipe 23 of suction fan F to the said storage room (Fig. 1), or the fan F itself may be placed therein.

Each tobacco feed hopper RI, R2 and R3 is equipped with a rotary switch II, I2 and I3 respectively. Each of the latter is provided with a sprocket 24 driven by a chain 25 from a sprocket 26 on the feed drum shaft 21 of its respective cigarette making machine. After a given number of revolutions of the feed drum 21a a certain amount of tobacco has been used by the respective cigarette making machine, and the rotary switch II, I2 or I3 on the tobacco feed hopper Rl, R2 or R3 respectively will close its respective circuit hereinafter described, through its corresponding signal light SI, S2 or S3 and the operator thereby is notified which machine requires tobacco. The signal lights S|, S2 and S3 are conveniently located on a control board 28 attached to a side panel of the feed table 20. When a signal flashes on the control board, the attendant has in readiness on the feed table 20, a measured amount of tobacco T which corresponds with the amount consumed in a given time in the machine from which the signal was transmitted,

and presses one of the respective push-buttonsv BI, B2 or B3, each of which is connected to its corresponding lamp SI, S2 or S3 and with the control mechanism for the respective discharge valves VI, V2 or V3. The pressing of any of the buttonsBI, B2 or B3 also releases a latch on the intake valve G as will be presently described. The main switch LS (Fig. 14) and the'various relays used in operating the various circuits and controls are placed in a control box C (Fig. 2) attached to legs of the feed table 20.

The intake valve G may consist of a slide 29 (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5) provided-with an aperture 30 and slidably mounted between the upper section 3| and lower section 32 of the intake housing mounted on platform 33 which also supports the feed table 20. The latter is also provided with a screen 34 set in an opening therein (Fig. 1) underneath which is mounted a dust-collecting chamber 35 communicating with a port 36 of the upper part 3| of the intake housing by means of a tube 31. Another port 38 of said upper housing-section 3| is connected to an opening 20a in feed table 20 by means of the intake pipe 39. The latter, in its upper portion, is provided with a constriction 40 for the purpose of preventing clogging of the traveling tobacco charges in any part of the main conduit 2| which communicates with the lower portion of the lowerhousing 32.

On one end of slide 29 is mounted a forked lug 4| which in the form of construction shown in Figs. 2-4 is connected by a link 42 to a pedal 43 fulcrumed on a stud 44 held by 2, lug 45 of the lower intake housing-section 32. Lever 43 is furthermore equipped with a forked lug 45 engaging with a stud 41 attached to a second pedal 48 pivoted to a stud 49 also held by lug 45 of lower housing 32. On a bracket 50 fastened to the upper housing-section 3| is attached a locking solenoid 5|, the core 52 of which is provided with a latch 53. The latter is guided in a V bore provided in a lug 54 of the upper housingsection 3| and engages, when in locking position, 76

with a hole 55 in slide-valve 29. A bracket 56 on the lower housing 32 carries a control switch 51 of the four-pole type comprising a vertical stem 58 (Figs. 4 and 5) which constitutes a contact-maker and carries a roller 59 engaging with a wedge-shaped recess 60 provided on the bottom of one end of the valve plate or slide 29.

When no tobacco is needed in any one of the feed chambers of the cigarette making machines, the port 38 of the intake valve is closed by moving the slide 29 (Fig. 2) into a position in which its aperture 39 registers with the port 36 of the housing, thereby drawing the air through the screen 34 of the feed table 20 and the intake valve into the feed line 2| and thus causing the tobacco T placed on the screen for the next charge to be partly freed from dust and shorts before entering the conveyer system. When the slide 29 is moved'to bring its aperture 30 into communication with the port,38 of the intake valve, the charge of tobacco which may be manually introduced into the pipe 39 will be drawn through the intake valve and into the conduit 2|.

Each tobacco charge is thus pneumatically conveyed through the feed pipe 2|, and may be diverted. into anyone of the individual hoppers RI, R2 or R3 of the individual cigarette machines by the discharge valve VI, V2 or V3 respectively. Each of said valves is operated by a pilot valve illustrated in Figs. 9. 10 and 11. Each of the said pilot valves includes a cylinder 6| provided with a bore 62 which communicates with the compressed air pipe line 22 by a pipe 63. A piston 64 is slidably mounted in the bore of the cylinder 6|, and in order to prevent the same from turning, is provided with a slot 65 with which engages a guide screw 66 threaded into the cylinder 6|. At each end the piston 64 is equipped with a collar 61 fitting recesses 68 provided in the cylinder heads for the purpose of reducing the shock during the impact of the piston 64 therewith. The piston is mounted on and reciprocated by a rod 69, the ends of which project from the cylinder heads through packing glands III. The bottom of the cylinder 6| is provided with three outlet ducts or ports II, I2 and I3. The top of the piston 64 is cut away at I4 (Fig. 10), thus allowing the compressed air to enter the bore 62 of the cylinder at all times. The bottom of the piston is provided with a notch I5 disposed to alternately overlie the ports I I I2 and the ports I2, I3 at the limits of its stroke.

Each of the discharge valves VI, V2 and V3 is enclosed in a housing I6 which may form a section of the main feed pipe 2| (Figs. '7, 8. 12 and 13) and communicates with its respective collecting chamber HI, H2 or H3. In each section 16 is slidably mounted a horizontal slide-valve II of cylindrical configuration connected to a piston I8 by a rod I9. The piston 18 is mounted within a cylinder 80 formed on a flange 8| attached to its respective section. studs 82. One head of said cylinder 89 is provided with an inlet which is connected by pipe 83 to the port II in pilot valve cylinder 6|. The other head of the cylinder is provided with an inlet connected to the port I3 by pipe 84. Each end face of the piston 18 is equipped with a collar 85 which engages with corresponding shoulders 86 provided in the cylinder heads for the purpose of taking up the shock of the piston I8 at the end of each stroke. Rods I9 protrude from their cylinders 90 through packing glands 81. Each discharge valve I1 is provided with a horizontal by-pass duct 88 of circular cross-section (Fig. 13) which,

communicates with an elbow when said valve is in open position, registers with the bore of the feed-pipe 2| to which the respective pipe section I6 is connected, to permit passage therethrough of the tobacco. Each discharge valve IT is furthermore providedwith a discharge duct 89 which, when valve 'I'I is in closed position, diverts the tobacco charge T coming from feed table 29 via the feed pipe 2|, through a discharge port 99 (Figs. 12 and 13) in its respective pipe section I6 and a funnel 9| into the respective collecting chamber HI, H2 or H3 attached to the pipe section I6. In order to prevent the discharge valves II from turning during their reciprocating motion, said valves are provided with a horizontal guide groove 'IIa (Fig. 12) into which projects a guide stud 16a set in the pipe section I6.

- Each collecting chamber HI, H2 and H3 suspended over the tobacco feed chamber RI, R2 and R3 respectively, consists of a chute 92 provided at its bottom with a pair of trap doors 93 (Figs. 7 and 8), each of which is hinged on a shaft 94 loosely supported in bearing lugs 95 attached to housing 92. fastened an operating arm 96 linked by a connecting rod 91 to a cross bar 98 adjustably mounted on a vertical piston rod 99. One end of the latter is fastened to a piston I00, while the other end slides in a guide bracket IOI attached to the lower portion of the chute 92. At its top the piston I90 is equipped with a cup washer I02 and is vertically operated -within a cylinder I03 mounted on the top of housing 92. The cylinder On one end of each shaft 94 is' head on the upper end of cylinder I93 is provided with an inlet which, by means of a branch pipe I04, is connected to the pipe 83 (Fig. 13). Within the upper portion of the chute 92 is mounted a screen I95 through which the funnel 9| projects and the chute may be also provided with a baffle plate I96 (Figs. 7 and 8). The latter is provided, if desired, for the purpose of spreading the tobacco charge impinging thereon and directing the air stream conveying said charge, upward again through the screen I05 and an outlet I0'I provided in the top of the chute 92. The outlet I01 I98 which-communicates with a port I09 in valve housing Hi. When the valve I1 is in closed position the bypass duct 88 of the latter registers with said opening I09 and with a return duct I I0 leading to the outlet 01: of housing 16 with which the next section of the main feed line 2| communicates (Fig. 13).

Whenever any of the discharge valves is in closed position, the tobacco charge T is conveyed by the air stream through the discharge duct 89 thereof into the chute 92 wherein it impinges on the baflle plate I06 whence the shreds of tobacco drop on to the trap-doors of the chute, which are closed as hereinafter described, and the air stream is re-directed upwardly together with the lighter dust particles through the screen I05, elbow I08, duct 88, duct 0 and port IIOa back into the main feed pipe 2|. The dust-laden air is then conducted to the dust collector and separator E wherein the dust particles settle out of the same, and the clean air is led back into the storage room through the exhaust pipe 23 of suction fan F.

When the feed drum 21a in any one of the feed hoppers RI, R2 or R3 of the cigarette making machines MI, M2 or M3, respectively, has performed a given number of revolutions, a corresponding quantity of tobacco has been consumed by the latter, and the rotary switch II, 12,

the supply lines.

or I3, respectively, establishes a contact in and closes a separate circuit connected in parallel to the two supply lines LI and L2, thus energizing one of the respective three point relays PRI, PR2

or PR3 (Fig. 14), which in turn closes the circuit through the incandescent lamp SI, S2 or S3 respectively, on control board 28 of feed table 20 to flash a signal to the attendant, and also establish a contact in one of three other branch circuits connected in parallel through the switch LS with The attendant will then press one of the respective push-buttons Bl, B2 or B3 in the latter circuits to close the same and effect the energization of one of the solenoids Ol, 02 or 03 respectively. The cores III of each of the latter are connected to one end of the piston rod 69 of the respective pilot valves, while the'other end of each rod 69 is connected to "the cores H2 of the solenoids Kl, K2 and K3 respectively.

Each pilot valve and its corresponding solenoids OI and Kl, O2 and K2, and 03 and K3 are attached to brackets 92a which are fastened to the tops of the chutes 92.

As soon as one of the solenoids Ol, 02 or 03 is energized, the respective core II I pulls the piston rod 69 and thereby moves the piston 64 of the respective pilot valve over to one end of the cylinder 62 whereby the notch 15 in the bottom of the piston overlies the ports 12 and 13, allowing the compressed air entering the cylinder 62 from the pipe 63 to escape through duct H and pipe 83 into cylinder 89, the inrushing air forcing the piston 18 to the upper end of said cylinder 89. This movement of piston 78 causes the rod 19 to move the discharge valve 11 to the closed or discharge position, ready to divert the tobacco charge into the desired discharge chute 92.

When, due to this position of piston 64, the com-.v

discharge valve 11 is in closed position. The

edge of one of the trap doors 93 (Figs. 7 and 8) of each of the housings 92 is equipped with a strip 93a of suitable packing material designed to abut the edge of the other door in order to obtain a tight seal between the doors 93 when the same are in closed position. While the compressed air, when entering cylinder 80 through the pipe 83 moves piston 18 to the upper end of said cylinder, the air above said piston escapes through the pipe 84 into the outlet duct 13 of the pilot valve. Duct 13 at this moment-is connected-by means of recess 15 in piston 64 with the outlet 12, allowing the air to escape out of the pilot ,valve.

One end of each of the discharge valves 11 is equipped with contact arms H3 and H4. The engagement of arm H3 with a push-button 311 (Fig. 13) 'of one of the limit switches NI, N2 or N3, when the respective valve 11 is in closed position, closesone of three more branch circuits connected in parallel with the lines LI and L2 and energizes the respective secondary relay SRI, SR2 or SR3, thus opening a contact carried by the core of the same normally closing the circuit through the coil of the respective relay PRI, PR2 or PR3 and thereupon breaking the circuit through the respective signal lamp SI, S2 or S3 and the time-switch II, I2 or I3. Upon being energized, the relay SRI, SR2 or SR3 closes subsidiary circuits also connected in parallel .to the lines Ll and L2 and the locking solenoid thus energizing the latter. The armature 52 of the solenoid is thus raised, whereupon the locking latch 53 disengages from hole 55 in the valve 29. 'If the feed' operator then depresses the pedal 43, the valve 29 will be shifted to such an extent that the port 38 of the valve-housing G registers with the aperture 39 of said valve plate 29, which may be called the open position, and thereby closes the port 33 of said intake. This operation of course transfers the suction from the screen 34 to the tobacco intake pipe 39 into which the operator then deposits the measured tobacco charge T kept in readiness on the feed table 29. The tobacco charge T is then conveyed, by means of the suction created by fan F, via the main feed pipe 2| and diverted through the discharge duct 89 of the respective valve 11 then in closed position, into the corresponding discharge chute 92, the trap doors 93 of which are then in closed position.

When the operator depresses the pedal 43 in order to shift the valve 29 to its open position, the roller 59 pivoted to the stem 58 of the control switch 51 rides over the wedge-shaped recess 69 of the valve 29 on to the bottom of the same, the stem 58 is depressed thereby closing the circuit through relay TR, which circuit is connected in parallel with the lines LI and L2. The time relay TR (Fig. 14) is of the well known delayed action type.

In this manner the core C of the time relay, which carries a bar L which operates the contact makers M, N and P, is displaced sufiiciently to cause the contact maker M to break the cirthe respective relay SRI, SR2 and SR3, and thus break the circuit through the locking solenoid 5!, whereupon its core 52 with locking latch 53, due to their own weight, drop again, upon being thus released. The latch 53 then simply rides on the moving valve 29. After. the tobacco charge T has been introduced into the intake pipe 39, the operator depresses the other pedal 48 which, of course, ascended during the downward motion of pedal 43, and the valve 29 is shifted back to its closed position wherein the latch 53 re-engages with the hole 55 of said valve 29, thereby locking the same. During the return motion of valve 29 the roller 59 re-engages with the wedge-shaped recess 69 in the valve, thus permitting the stem 58 of the control switch 51 to spring back to its original position and break the circuit through the time relay solenoid TR (Fig. 14).

The time relay TR is set in such a manner that the member L thereof closes the contact N, while allowing the contact P to remain closed, after a given interval which is equal to the time the tobacco charge T requires for traveling from the intake G to the furthermost discharge valve V3, whereby a circuit is momentarily established to energize all the solenoids Kl, K2 and K3, which by means of their cores I I2 are connected to their respective pilot valves. Immediately thereafter the contact P is opened by the member L of the time relay and the solenoids Kl, K2 and K3 are de-energized. All the pilot valves which were in closed position, of course remain undisturbed but the particular pilot valve connected with the particular discharge valve 11 just having received a tobacco charge, is actuated by means of its respective solenoid KI, K2 or K3. Thus the opening of the previously closed discharge valve I'l takes place when the piston 64 in the cylinder 62 of its respective pilot valve is displaced by the core H2 and piston rod 69 to the other end of the cylinder. The compressed air is guided from the pipe 63 into the cylinder 62 and out the duct I3 through the pipe 84 into cylinder 80. The piston I8 is thus forced to the opposite end of cylinder 80, thereby through rod I9, also moving the discharge valve 11 to its "open position. The air in front of the moving piston I8 in cylinder 80 is displaced through pipe 83, duct II, recess I5 and duct I2 to the exterior of the respective pilot valve. At the same time the compressed air in cylinder I03 which had previously displaced the piston I to a position wherein the trap doors 93 were maintained in closed position, escapes through pipe I04 into pipe 83 and thence into the cylinder 6I and out its duct I2. As soon as the air pressure in cylinder I03 is relieved, trap doors 93, due to their own weight and the weight of the tobacco delivered upon them, swing downwardly and the tobacco charge T drops into the corresponding feed hopper of the particular cigarette making machine. This movement of trap .doors 03 through the linkage connecting the same to the piston I0rl causes the latter to ascend and resume its position in the upper end of cylinder I03.

The contact arm II4 of discharge valve I1 engages, when it arrives at its open position, with a push-button II4a, of the respective limit switch ZI, Z2 or Z3, thereupon re-establishing the circuit to the control buttons El, 132 or B3 respectively. Therefore, if for any reason one of the discharge valves VI, V2 or V3 should fail to return to its original or open position, the circuit remains broken and the pressing of said control buttons will have no effect upon thesystem, wherefore no further tobacco charge can be sent through the system until the latter has been examined and the trouble corrected.

When all discharge valves .11 are in open position, the current of air passes through the bypass ducts 88 of said valves with which the various sections of feed line 2| are then in direct communication.

Each cigarette making machine Ml, M2 and M3 is furthermore equipped with a push-button I I6 connected in parallel with its respective timeswitch, and a knife switch I I1 connected in series with the latter (Figs.- 1 and 14). Buttons II6 are provided for the purpose of permitting the machine operator to send in an additional signal to the attendant at the storage room in case the tobacco level in the feed hopper of his machine should run undesirably low before the respective time-switch forwards a signal. In case the tobacco level in any of the feed hoppers RI, R2 or R3, for some reason or another, should remain undesirably high, the machine operator simply disengages the knife switch I" of the respective machine and no signal can be forwarded by the corresponding rotary switch until the circuit is re-established by re-engaging the respective knife switch II'I.

Instead of using foot levers 43 and 48 to operate valve 29, the latter, if desired, may be operated automatically by employing an additional pilot valve I 20 connected with the compressed bracket I24 mounted on the lower intake valve housing 32, the solenoids I22 and I24 being connected in series with the set of solenoids OI, O2 and O3 and the set of solenoids KI, K2 and K3, respectively. Said bracket also carries a cylinder I25 having a piston I26, the protruding piston rod I2'I thereof being connected with a forked lug 4| fastened on valve 29. Similarly to cylinder 80, each end of cylinder I25 is connected to separate outlet ducts in the pilot valve I20 by pipe I28 and pipe I29, respectively. The ends of valve 29 are equipped with contact makers I30 and I3I, the latter depressing a push-button of a switch I3Ia whn valve 29 is in open position while finger I30 depresses the button of a switch 130a when said valve is in closed position.

Switches I30a and I3Ia in this modification may be connected in series with the solenoids I22 and I23 respectively. The switch I30a may be arranged, when depressed, to close the circuit through the coil of the time relay TR, and the switch I2Ia may be arranged to close a contact in the circuit through the contacts N and P. Accordingly, the time relay switch 51 used in the construction described may be eliminated. With this arrangement for operating the valve 29 automatically, the latch 53 as well as looking solenoid 5| of course are eliminated.

While in the foregoing description a group of cigarette making machines has been chosen to illustrate this invention, the same may be equally well employed for conveying any tobacco in disintegrated or non-disintegrated form from a feeding station to a single cigarette making machine, or to a group of packaging or other tobacco working machines. 1

Each cigarette machine may be equipped with a suitable form of adjustable rotary switch, as shown in Figs. 11a and 11b. The switch may comprise, as shown therein av shaft 200 on which the sprocket 24 is fastened; an eccentric 20I fastened on theshaft 200; an eccentric rod 202 provided atone end with an eccentric strap sur-, rounding the eccentric 20I and pivotally connected at'its other end to a squared block 203 fitting a slot in a rocker arm 204 and adjustable therein by a screw 205 to regulate the throw of the rocker arm. The hub of the latter constitutes the driving member of a ball or roller clutch 206 of well known one-way type, the driven member of which is fastened to a rocker shaft A yielding stop 208 bears against the periphery of the driven member of the clutch 206 and serves to maintain it stationary while the arm 204 swings in a counter-clockwise direction, whereby the cam 209 on the rim of said driven member is intermittently rotated in a clockwise direction step-by-step. Thus, the contact maker 2I0 will be periodically lowered by said cam to engage the contact 2 and establish circuits through the corresponding signal lamp SI, S2 or S3 and the relayPRI, PR2 or PR3. By turning the screw 205 the intervals at which these circuits will be closed may be varied.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a plurality of cigarette machines each having a tobacco feed, of a single main conduit into which disintegrated-tobacco may be introduced, means for creating a current of air through said conduit to pneumatically convey the inserted tobacco, devices communicating with said tobacco feeds for diverting said current of air from said conduit in order to deliver the conveyed tobacco to the tobacco feed of any of said machines, said means including a fan arranged to exhaust air from said conduit, and said conduit being provided with an intake through which -tobacco may be inserted, and a valve normally closing said intake and connected to said devices and controlling the to deposit the conveyed tobacco in the same, and

then returning the diverted air current to said conduit, said chambers beingprovided with trapdoors movable into position to. permit discharging of the tobacco collected therein, manually operable controls remote from said chambers for setting the desired device into operation, and mechanism actuated by said devices for closing the doors of the corresponding chamber when its respective device is set into operation.

3. The combination with a plurality of collecting chambers, of a single conduit provided with an intake into which tobacco may be introduced, means for creating a current of air through said conduit to pneumatically convey tobacco inserted through said intake, a valve normally closing said intake and movable into position to permit the insertion of tobacco into the intake, discharge valves disposed in said conduit and separately movable into closed position to divert the current of air through one of said collecting chambers and back to the conduit, electromagnetically controlled devices for moving the desired discharge valve into position to divert the tobacco into the corresponding chamber, manually operable switches remote from said chambers, electromagnetic circuits connecting said switches to said devices, whereby the desired device will be actuated when its switch is closed, and means set into operation by the opening of said intake valve for re-opening the closed discharge valve after an interval of time suflicient to permit conveying of the inserted tobacco to the discharge valve furthermost from said intake.

4. The combination with a single conduit provided with an intake into which tobacco may be inserted, said intake having two branches, a screen covering the inlet of one of said branches, a valve movable into positions to put either of said branches into open communication with said conduit, and means for applying suction to the outlet end of said conduit to create a current of air through said conduit to cause removal of dust and shorts from shredded tobacco spread on said screen, or the pneumatic conveying of tobacco inserted through the other branch of said intake.

5. The combination with a single conduit pro-- vided with an intake into which tobacco may be inserted, said intake having two branches, a screen covering the inlet of one of said branches, a valve movable into positions to but either of said branchesinto open communication with said conduit, means for applying suction to the outlet end of said conduit to create a current of air through said conduit to cause removal of dust and shorts from shredded tobacco spread on said screen, or the pneumatic conveying of tobaccoinserted through the other branch of said intake, and a dust separator connected to a portion of said conduit beyond said machine.

6. The combination with a plurality of collecting chambers, of a single conduit into which disintegrated tobacco may be introduced, means for creating a current of air through said conduit to pneumatically convey the inserted tobacco, discharge valves disposed in said conduit and separately movable into position to divert the current of air into any one of said chambers, pneumatic devices for moving the desired valve into position to divert the tobacco into the corresponding chamber, and a manually operable electromagnetic device for setting any one of said pneumatic devices into operation, each of said chambers being provided with a door movable into position to permit discharging of the tobacco collected therein, and pneumatic mecha nism controlled by the corresponding pneumatic device for closing the respective door when-the desired valve is moved into position to divert the tobacco.

'7. The combination witha plurality of cigarette machine feeds, of a tobacco receiving chamber for holding a supply of tobacco for each of said feeds, a single main tobacco conveying conduit, an intake opening into said conduit through which increments of tobacco may be introduced by an operator for forwarding to said chambers, by-passes for each of said chambers arranged in series along said conduit so as to establish an air passage from said conduit to each of said chambers, and thence back from said chambers to the conduit whereby delivery of tobacco to any one of the chambers does not interrupt the main flow of air through the conduit, means for continuously passing a current of air through said conduit from the intake portion thereof past said by-passes, means for diverting the air current from the conduit through anyone of said by-passes to deliver tobacco fed in at the intake opening to one of said chambers, mechanism adjacent said inlet opening and connected to said diverting means causing actuation of the same at the will of the operator, mechanism associated with-said chambers for separating tobacco from the air current through the by-passes, a closure in the bottom of said chamber, and means controlled by the corresponding diverting means for opening said closure and depositing tobacco in the feed when the diverting means is inoperative and for closing said closure when the diverting means is operative, and means including a return conduit for recirculating air from one end of said main, tobacco conveying conduit back into the other end of said conduit in a normally closed circuit so as to facilitate maintaining an atmosphere of substantially constant humidity within the conveying system in order to maintain the proper moisture contentof the tobacco, and an air cleaner arranged to act on the recirculated air as the same is circulated from the portion of said main conduit beyond the last by-pass to the inlet end of said main conduit.

ROSS ,V. CRAGGS. 

